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Re: differences between e.g write and write down

Welcome to Using English.

When you write something down, you are recording it for your memory or to create a record. You write down a recipe someone told you, a phone number, your grocery list, so you have a record of it or so you don't forget it when you need to use it.

You write most things. You write a letter, a report, an essay, an article, a novel, etc.

I wrote a novel. You might want to write down the title so you can find it at the bookstore. -- Do you see the difference?

I don't see much difference between "chop" and "chop up" except that "chop up" is a bit more emphatic. Perhaps the entire quantity is chopped when you chop it up.

I'm not a teacher, but I write for a living. Please don't ask me about 2nd conditionals, but I'm a safe bet for what reads well in (American) English.

Re: differences between e.g write and write down

And, to answer the other question, you cant't use 'write up' in place of 'write down'. Consider this example: You're in a chemistry lab to do an experiment. While you're doing it, you write down what you are doing and what happens. At the end of of the lesson your teacher says 'For homework I want you to write up the experiment.' When you write something up you write a report.